Monday, December 19, 2011

Six Questions for... Takanori Tsujimoto

During the past four years Japan has reasserted itself as a leader in splatter, gore films with a cabal of filmmakers and special effets wizards like Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl), Yoshihiro Nishimura (Tokyo Gore Police), Yuji Shimomura (Alien vs. Ninja) and Tak Sakaguchi (Yakuza Weapon). All of these directors have gathered under the auspices of Nikkatsu's genre wing Sushi Typhoon, and proudly wave the banner for cult exploitation cinema. Not all of this new batch of splatter/ action filmmakers fall into tyhe Sushi Typhoon group, although many have close ties with them. One of these filmmakers is Takanori Tusjimoto. Born in 1971 in Osaka Tsujimoto originally studied to be a dental technician, but his love for the films of Takashi Miike and Atsuhi Muroga he decided to make a radical career shift. He debuted as a director with his 1998 independent film "One Gun Story" and went on to collaborate with anime director Mamoru Oshii on his 2007 omnibus film "The Women of Fast Food" as well as the omnibus film "Kiru = Kill", for which Tsujimoto directed the segment "Two Guns". Most fans of Japanese splatter/ action films will know Tsujimoto for his two "Hard Revenge Milly" films, both starring actress Miki Mizuno. Most recently Tsujimoto's horror detective film "Red Tears" was selected as part of the line-up of the 24th Tokyo International Film Festival. We were happy to ask our six question survey to Tsujimoto this past fall. CM

1. What movie inspired you to become a film-maker? What was it about the movie that was inspiring?

“The Killer” by John Woo. I am fascinated by violent and beautiful gunfights.

2. Is there someone you always wanted to work with on a project, but have never had the chance?

Kenichi Matsuyama.

3. Please finish this statement: If I had not become a film-maker I would probably be a ________.

Dental Technician (my former work).

4. Which three people (besides film-makers) have had the biggest influence on you?(only one response) Hirohiko Araki, cartoonist

5. What is your favorite book? Why is it your favorite?

“African game cartridges” by Makoto Fukami. It influenced the way I see action imagery.

6. What moment in your career has made you most proud so far?

When my films were played at overseas film festivals and were accepted by audiences.